Thiruvananthapuram, April 28
With just six days to go before Kerala election results are out, the political temperature is rising across camps, even as public posturing and backroom calculations reveal sharply contrasting moods ahead of counting day.
Polling for the 140 member Assembly concluded on April 9, setting the stage for a decisive contest between the ruling Left Democratic Front led by Pinarayi Vijayan and the Congress-headed United Democratic Front (UDF) under Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan.
The BJP-led NDA, which failed to open its account in 2021 after losing its lone seat, is now banking on a fractured mandate to emerge as a potential kingmaker.
Pre-poll surveys have thrown up mixed projections, offering no clear trend.
Yet, in the days following polling, the narrative battle has intensified.
The UDF camp appears visibly upbeat, with leaders and supporters increasingly confident of a return to power.
In contrast, the Vijayan camp has adopted a studied silence, a strategy that has only added to speculation.
Interestingly, social media has become a parallel arena of political forecasting.
Pro-Left handles are projecting a historic third consecutive term for Vijayan, a feat never achieved in Kerala's electoral history.
On the other hand, UDF leaning voices are claiming a comfortable victory, placing the alliance well above the halfway mark of 71, with some even predicting a tally crossing 100 seats.
Adding to the mix, noted writer and former IAS officer N.S. Madhavan has offered a more measured forecast, suggesting the Left could retain power with around 75 seats, leaving the UDF at 65 and the NDA without representation.
What has particularly energised the UDF ecosystem, however, is the intense jockeying within its ranks over the chief ministerial post.
Supporters of Satheesan, along with camps backing senior leaders like Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, are locked in a vocal contest online and offline.
While this has unsettled sections of the party leadership, it has paradoxically reinforced the perception among cadres that victory is within reach.
The final stretch now hinges on exit polls, expected from Wednesday evening after voting concludes in states like West Bengal and Assam.
These early indicators will offer the first structured glimpse into voter sentiment, even as Kerala waits for the definitive numbers on counting day: May 4.
- IANS
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